Moment of Impact
by Penstorm
Summary: A routine undercover assignment goes horribly awry for Castle and Beckett. One-shot.


_I own nothing. Please enjoy._

**Moment of Impact**

The rain poured unusually heavy from the sky on this particular evening, the fierce clouds looming overhead blanketing the sky with animosity and an eerie, ominous vibe. Only when the lightning flashed could one discern these menacing thunderheads lurking from above.

A lone taxi cab pulled up to the curb, lurching to a stop with the squeaking of well-worn rubber—a yellow beacon in a sea of gray. Two figures emerged from the vehicle, and the man tipped the driver as the woman quickly scampered underneath the awning to the bar that was their destination on this night.

"Okay," Beckett whispered, primping her curls with a bounce as Castle joined her by her side. "Are you ready?"

Her fiancé glanced at her with trepidation, blue eyes cloudy beneath the flickering streetlights. Why should he be anxious? Undercover assignments were his forte, plus Beckett was always armed and ready to fire at a moment's notice.

But that was just it, he was worried about _her. _

This bar at which they would be imminently making their entrance was shady, to say the least. _The Side Pocket, _it was dubbed, and that was exactly what it was. It was a joint that was just a tiny pocket nestled on the wrong side of town—a hotspot for mischievous, eccentric characters.

This was an opportune time for a little research for any writer, but Castle was preoccupied with something much more important—Kate.

"Yeah. It's just..." He looked her up and down as she began to unbutton her coat, putting on display quite the revealing dress.

"What is it, Castle?" she asked, lowering her voice even further as she subtly adjusted her chest. Her dark eyes met his as she glanced up.

"You sure you don't wanna leave more to the imagination?" the writer suggested, gesturing at her form-hugging dress.

The gown was a stunning, shimmering red, cut off rather abruptly just below the knee and bedecked in plenty of sequins the immediately captured the eye. Castle, needless to say, would approve on any other occasion besides this.

Every man would have his eyes on her in this sleazy joint. He'd have to restrain himself from tearing each and every one of them out of their respective sockets.

"We need to be able to get close to him. This is our chance." Beckett resolved, tenderly gazing into his eyes as she laced her fingers behind his neck.

"_Him?" _Castle growled, his possessive instincts coming to full circle. "Will your..._persona..._be getting _close _to this guy?"

The detective in his arms wriggled slightly as he tightened his grip of her.

"We'll only be in there for a bit. Just long enough to see if we can catch him in the act. If I have to, I might entice him," she continued with a slight shrug, attracting a scowl from her partner, "a little."

"God, Kate." Castle lamented, giving a long, slow exhale. "I don't like this."

"Everything will be fine," Beckett murmured in a reassuring tone, offering him a kiss as consolation. "Just don't do anything stupid in there. Do you understand? Don't do _anything _without my okay, okay?" She smiled and allowed a giggle to escape as Castle mashed a kiss to her mouth.

"Okay," Castle echoed against her lips, pressing harder. Abruptly, he pulled away from her. "Wait, since when do I do _stupid _things?"

He glared stonily at her, as if it were _his _job to interrogate someone.

"Well, I just know how you can be. Especially with other men, you know, around..." Beckett furrowed her brow at his incredulous expression, and hers quickly morphed into a smirk. "Oh, come on, Castle. You're the jealous type, admit it."

"Takes one to know one." he retorted with a smug grin, shrugging off her embrace.

As he turned around to walk inside, Beckett snagged him by the collar, donning a firm, austere countenance.

"I'm serious, Rick." she urged, loosening her grasp as his expression turned gentle. Her voice fell to a whisper. "You never know what could happen in a place like this. Please, just play along with me."

"Right, got it." Castle acquiesced, accepting a kiss from the visibly anxious woman before him.

He caressed her blushing cheeks with both of his hands, rubbing the pads of his thumbs soothingly against her skin.

Castle burrowed his tongue deeper into Beckett's mouth, but much to his dismay, his fiancée objected to this, ripping her lips from his before he could get too carried away. Any possibility of being dragged into the bathroom by an overly eager Castle had to be nullified at once.

In turn, Beckett reached for his hand, squeezing it lovingly.

"Follow my lead." she instructed, and with a nod, her partner obeyed.

The couple stepped inside, and both momentarily suppressed a gag at the atmosphere. The stench of cigarette smoke hung in the air, and paired with the odor of stale beer, the overall result was nauseating.

"God, that's awful." Beckett sputtered with a cough. "Alright, in and out."

"Sounds good to me," Castle agreed mutually, surveying the area and shooting several men cold, wary glances. Attention had already been attracted by Kate's radiance, he was sure.

"We gotta hope he's here," the detective muttered under her breath, barely heard over the clamor in the bar.

The clapping of billiard balls filled the air, along with a _clang _of a beer glass, undoubtedly overflowing with froth. A number of individuals, clearly drunk, sat slumped upon stingy bar stools, downing shots like they were going out of style. Several couples mingled about, tongues halfway down the throats of one another.

Castle snaked a protective arm around Beckett's waist, and she leaned into him in response to his actions.

The detective's steady gaze scanned the area, and nonchalantly, she gestured over to a poker table with her head.

"He's over there," she whispered, aiming into Castle's ear.

He followed her gaze, focusing upon a rather disgruntled, bearded man seated at the table, glancing up momentarily from the cards wedged in his massive hand. Castle looked away in an instant, hoping he hadn't been too obvious in glowering at their suspect.

"He fits the description, don't you think?" Beckett added in inquiry, mimicking his actions in an attempt to avoid garnering any attention.

"He certainly does," Castle observed, swallowing a lump in his throat as their suspect glared at him from across the bar. "And I think he's getting wise."

Beckett turned her attention back to the man sitting at the table. "We've got to get closer."

"Kate, stop." Castle pleaded, grabbing her by the arm as she hastily began approaching the man. "Something is off about him."

"Of course there's something _off _about him, Castle. He's a suspected drug lord." Beckett stated factually, being pulled into Castle's warm embrace.

"I don't want you going over there alone, Kate." the man said in a murmur, gazing deeply into her eyes and clutching her closer to him.

"Castle, I _have _to check him out. This might be our only chance." she reasoned, reassuring him with a tender caress of his face, weaving her fingers absentmindedly through his hair. "I'll be okay."

Castle instantly recognized the familiar look he was given. She was about to get her way.

"Just be careful. Please." he urged as he helped her out of her coat, reluctantly freeing her in the process.

Beckett offered him an affirmative, reassuring nod, and as she continued her trek across the room, Castle backed into the crowd, mingling amongst a swarm all grinding insatiably against one another.

_Lovely._

* * *

"Room for one more?" Beckett purred seductively, throwing herself against the table and fondling the pot of poker chips situated in the center. "Mind if I..._partake?" _

A man with greasy, slicked back hair offered her a slimy grin. "Yeah," he replied, his black eyes sailing down to her cleavage.

Beckett joined in with a slight hesitance as a new game was started, dragging a chair over and straddling its frame with her thighs. Eyebrows raised, but no objections were uttered.

"I'm quite the player down in Atlantic City," she hummed, shuffling through the cards she was dealt with a sly chuckle. "They call me the Queen of Hearts, 'cause I take just as many as I break."

Improvisation was her specialty.

An uneasy silence fell over the table, and Beckett maintained a cold, steely glare, locking eyes with those around her.

"I'm all in," the person of interest grunted, smacking his cards against the table and pushing his pile of chips to the center of the table.

Beckett glued her eyes to her suspect, her prey, and she chewed her bottom lip as the slimy man across the table ogled her.

"Hey, sweetheart," he crooned, his voice gravelly and rough. "What do ya say you me go 'round back..." He reached out a hand to grab her wrist, but another figure approached from behind the detective, slamming a heavy fist against the table.

"All right, boys, let's go," a familiar voice slurred.

Beckett swiveled around, positioning herself so she would be able to drill her eyes into her partner's. She arose from her seat, nearly sending the chair clattering to the floor with her sudden thrust.

"What are you doing?" she demanded in a harsh whisper. "I thought you were going to let me handle this."

"I couldn't just let him take you back there and have his way with you." Castle snapped in an equally sharp yet quiet tone, gently pushing her aside and taking her place. "Shuffle 'em."

"Hey, if the lady wants to play, let her play," the slimy man growled, gesturing for Beckett to take a seat.

She hesitated, keeping a watchful eye on her suspect.

"We're playin' for _her," _the suspect said decisively, seizing the detective by the arm.

Castle felt a subtle flame spark, deep within him. His possessiveness was rousing, he could feel it.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Beckett slowly kneeling down.

She was reaching for her gun.

The suspect tightened his grip, jerking her closer. "Hey, whatcha doin', honey?"

The woman stooped down in a swift motion, snatching the pistol strapped to her leg and aiming it at her target.

"Oh, I don't think so, sweetheart." the man chuckled, sneering as he pulled out his own weapon.

Castle rose to his feet, stepping between his love and her threat.

"Castle, get away from here." Beckett ordered, her hand trembling as it gripped the gun.

She did her very best to conceal her growing fear, not over being held at gunpoint, but rather over her fiancée's safety. This was definitely not an ideal situation to be in, but she was determined not to allow Castle to end up in any more danger than he already was.

_Please, Castle. For once, listen to me._

Beckett ripped out of her captor's grasp, clutching both of her hands around her weapon, her knuckles flashing white.

"Drop your weapon." she demanded briskly. _"Now." _

"Yeah, I could do that." the suspect snarled. He pointed his gun immediately to Castle, and Beckett forced back a gasp of fright. "Or I could just, ya know, shoot your friend here."

Castle raised his hands up, glancing back at his partner. Beckett's heart grew heavy at this; he resembled a little boy, afraid and helpless.

"That won't do you _any_ good," Beckett insisted viciously, her confidence in saving her beloved unwavering. "Castle, stay close to me."

"Woah, Maury. C'mon, man," the slimy man muttered, reaching a hand out to lower the weapon.

Maury gripped the gun tighter, growling threateningly as several other men attempted to pry the gun from his paws.

The gun pointed downward as a struggle ensued, and reacting from pure instinct, Castle shoved Beckett out of the way as the weapon fired, sending the bullet ricocheting off the floor and back upward.

Screams erupted throughout the bar, and Beckett's heart nearly stopped cold at the painstaking sound of Castle's cry. He collapsed to the ground and rolled over on to his back, clutching his left thigh as he writhed in pain.

"Rick!" she shrieked, her heart beating erratically out of her chest. She loyally retreated to his side, carefully plucking his hands away from his wound. "Oh, God, _Castle." _she moaned softly, blinking back stinging tears at the sight of blood seeping from his leg.

Beckett allowed a single tear to roll down her cheek, shielding her fallen partner with her body. She turned her head to face her soon-to-be victim, eyes fiery with unabated rage, and aimed her weapon directly at Maury's head. To her relief, a pack of bystanders had closed in and confiscated the gun that had caused her love such pain.

Slowly, she lowered her weapon, vowing that she would deal with _him _later. Castle was her priority now. As Maury was hauled away by several men even burlier than he, she focused her attention solely upon her injured fiancé. After screaming orders for an ambulance, she lowered her voice to address Castle affectionately.

"I'm right here, Castle." she assured in a gentle whisper, caressing his jawline. "I'm right here."

Whether he had registered this or not, she wasn't sure, but she convinced herself that he did.

He _had _to.

* * *

Beckett sat in the waiting room, her face buried in her hands, the minutes ticking away with agonizing and perpetual monotony.

_She _had let this happen. _She _was the cause of all this. Without her, it would never have gone this way.

She had no idea what the extent of his injury was, but she hoped and prayed that he would pull through without a hitch.

_Please, Castle. Do this for me. You've done so much for me already, but...just one more thing. For me. I love you._

"Always," she breathed in a shaky exhale, choking back a sob.

"Katherine." a voice called, and Beckett raised her head, revealing her red-rimmed, tearful eyes.

"Beckett?"

The second voice was Alexis'.

_What a step-mother I'll turn out to be._

"Martha, Alexis, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Beckett apologized hastily, nearly breaking down as Castle's mother gathered her in her arms.

"I-is Dad alright?" Alexis spoke, settling down next to the detective and placing a hand on her knee.

Beckett remained silent, swallowing sobs that threatened to escape. "I haven't heard anything yet."

"Oh, Katherine," Martha murmured, reaching out for Alexis and rocking her family gently.

Silence fell over the trio.

"I let this happen." Beckett said at last, breaking free from the embrace. "I was supposed to keep him safe. I let him down, I let both of you down."

"Don't say that, dear," Martha urged, lightly grasping Beckett's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"We don't blame you." Alexis said gently, wrapping her arms around the detective. "You _always_ have his back. This was just a freak accident, that's all." she offered, blue eyes warm and forgiving. "Dad will come through this. I know it."

A woman in scrubs emerged from the door to the back, a clipboard in hand. She gave it a quick glance, her eyes flicking downward as she perused it.

You wouldn't happen to be Richard Castle's family, would you?" she queried, donning a smile as the three visibly shaken women offered hesitant nods. "Mr. Castle is doing just fine, and he says he'd like to see you now."

Sighs of relief, all in unison, were let out, and Beckett brought a trembling hand to her heart with another quivering exhale.

"Thank goodness," Martha breathed, mirroring Beckett's actions.

The three broke out into a momentary bout of somewhat tearful laughter before being led out of the waiting room and down a hallway.

"First door on your left," they were instructed.

Upon entering their patient's room, one would never suspect he had been injured.

"Ah, there are my girls," he crooned in a drawl, chuckling deeply.

"On heavy painkillers are we, darling?" Martha guessed, smiling adoringly and planting a kiss on her son's head as he offered her a nod. "Oh, Richard, we were so worried about you."

Castle shrugged this off. "I've been through worse."

"So, y-you're feeling all right, Daddy?" Alexis softly inquired, timorously approaching her father's bedside.

She gently touched her father's cheek, as if he were made entirely of porcelain and she feared he would shatter to pieces at any moment.

Castle eyed her, grinning profusely. "Yeah, yeah, I'm all right. They're even letting me keep the bullet."

_Certainly proud of himself and his trophy, _Beckett mused fondly.

A knocking sounded, and a head poked through the doorway.

"Visiting hours are coming to a close," a man informed them, nodding. "Five minutes."

Martha and Alexis finished their exchange with their son and father respectively, before collecting themselves and heading towards the door.

"Katherine?" Martha said gently, glancing back at Beckett as the hospital staff indicated to the clock.  
She nodded, a smile appearing on her face. "You two go on ahead. I'd just like to speak with him for a moment."

After the room cleared, Castle drowsily retrieved a juice box from beside his bed, sipping casually through the straw.

Beckett sensed her heart swell with adoration for the man, and she lovingly brought a hand to his face, gliding her touch upward gently smoothing his ruffled hair. He gave a sigh of contentment, and she leaned forward to kiss his forehead.

He spoke at last. "Do you want my pudding?"

"What?"

"My pudding, do you want to take it home with you?" he repeated his offer, gesturing at the meal on the table beside him.

"No, Castle, you enjoy it." she insisted, simpering at him with a passionate affection mixed with a slight lust.

That would have to wait until later.

"Okay," he whispered in response, his eyes twinkling with a certain mischievousness. "Hey, watch this."

Castle clutched a small remote hooked to the bed and began fiddling with it, pressing the wide array of buttons. His bed began to come alive, pushing him forward, reclining him back, propping his feet up, sending them back down. All of this was to his utmost amusement, as indicated by his joyful laughter. It was pure music to his fiancée's ears.

"Isn't this cool? I wish our bed was like this." he mused, his eyes growing dark with desire. "It would be...fun."

"Whatever you say, Castle." Beckett said softly, leaning down to provide him with affection.

She initiated the tantalizing process of placing kisses all over his face, nearly sending Castle straight over the edge with an inevitable hunger for his partner, his love.

"I should get shot more often," he mentioned with a smirk, and Beckett froze, straightening herself up again.

"No, Castle." she objected, firmer than ever. "No, this is the _last _time I _ever _want to see you in a hospital bed."

"I guess I _did _do something stupid this time around, huh?" Castle offered sheepishly, reaching up to take her hand in his.

Stupid was an understatement. Try crazy, perhaps.

"Well, luckily, Ryan and Espo managed to take Maury and his goons in for questioning." Beckett replied, closing her eyes and leaning in for a passionate kiss.

Castle grinned into her mouth. "That's good," he managed between kisses, "because I've got plans for plenty of bedrest tomorrow with a certain detective."

"You get to come home tomorrow?" Beckett murmured hopefully, her eyes still shut and her heart aflutter.

"I do."  
Those two words—they made both of their hearts involuntarily beat quicker.

"Thank God you were only shot in the leg," she breathed, their passions growing heated with fervor.

"Better me than you," he offered, gaining his fiancée's concerned gaze.

"Don't say that, Castle." Beckett whispered, brushing her fingers over his lips.

She was secretly relieved their kiss ended at that moment, or else there would have been a strong possibility that his hospital gown would have ended up being ripped off of him.

With a sigh, she continued. "Are you in any pain?"

"Well," he mumbled with a grimace, draping a hand over his bandaged wound, "yeah."

Beckett nodded with a subtle but endearing smirk.

"But they told me I would make a quick recovery, so I figure I'll be back at the precinct in a week at the most." he rambled on, smiling as his partner's lips returned to his.

"Oh, really?" Beckett challenged, her sweet breaths fanning into his mouth.

"As a matter of fact, yes." Castle shot back, playfully nibbling on her lips.

"Who's 'they', Castle?" she ventured with persistence, attempting to ignore the effect he was having on her.

"Certain...medical professionals?" he offered with a shrug, satisfying his love's quest for an answer.

"Fine," Beckett acquiesced, pulling away from him and leaving him utterly unsatisfied. "I have to go. Visiting hours are over." She patted his knee. "I'll come and pick you up tomorrow."

"I'll hold you to that promise," Castle replied, fatigue washing over him.

"I love you," his partner whispered as he closed his eyes.

He felt a kiss against his cheek.

"I love you, too."

* * *

She rested her head upon his heaving chest, her curls sprawling all over him. Her soft locks tickled the sensitive area of his neck, and the sensation could not have been more pleasurable.

With immense satisfaction, he breathed in her scent, her entire essence. There were no accurate words to describe how much he loved her, and he was an esteemed author who had written numerous bestsellers, he reminded himself.

Castle reached beneath the covers in search of her hand, teasingly allowing a frisky one of his own to dance over her breasts.

Beckett sucked in a breath at his touch, squirming in his arms but ultimately snuggling closer against him.

"I told you I was up for it," he grunted with his trademark complacency, turning his head slightly to press his lips to her temple.

Her only response was a soft, effeminate chuckle. She was still far too under the influence of her climax to initiate a response or exchange further banter.

"I'm just relieved Maury spared, you know, my fellas." Castle chuckled, providing Beckett's shoulder with a soothing massage.

She hummed softly and lustfully, "That makes two of us."


End file.
